


The Ties You Gradually Gained

by LittleMissWolfie



Series: Individuation [2]
Category: Persona 2, Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Adoption, Akira is Jun and Tatsuya's son, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Queer Character, Canon Queer Relationship, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-01
Updated: 2018-10-01
Packaged: 2019-07-23 10:46:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16157465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleMissWolfie/pseuds/LittleMissWolfie
Summary: How Suou Tatsuya and Kashihara Jun became parents.





	The Ties You Gradually Gained

**Author's Note:**

> We're back!
> 
> This story takes place around 2005-ish, so Tatsuya and Jun are in their early to mid twenties and Akira is around five or six. 
> 
> Also, I've made a tumblr just for this series! The link is in the end notes. I'll be posting all my stories/chapters there, along with covers I made on Canva, and I'll answer any questions and reblog any fanart that comes of this. Feel free to drop by!
> 
> Title comes from "Unbreakable Tie" from the Persona 2: Innocent Sin soundtrack.

In the many years they’ve lived together, Jun has grown used to Tatsuya bringing things he finds on the street home. They foster animals, upcycle damaged furniture, and return toys to sad children on a daily basis. For someone who likes to act so cool, Jun thinks, Tatsuya is surprisingly childlike. Then again, this is also the man who imitates motorcycles under his breath when he’s bored, so he’s definitely not as cool as he acts.

So when Tatsuya comes in the back entrance of Jun’s flower shop and calls, “Jun, I have something to show you!” Jun isn’t surprised. He finishes ringing up the last customer of the day (an old man buying flowers for his daughter in the hospital), flips the sign to closed, and heads back.

He freezes.

Standing next to Tatsuya is a child. A whole, entire child, with messy black hair and grey eyes, who is hanging onto Tatsuya’s uniform pant leg with his tiny fist.

Cutting Tatsuya a questioning look, Jun crouches low so as not to intimidate the child. “Hello, sweetie,” he says, voice high and non-threatening. “What’s your name?”

The boy mutters, “Akira.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, Akira. My name is Jun. Do you like flowers?” Akira hesitates, then nods. “That’s great! This is actually my flower shop. Why don’t you go look around while I have a boring grown-up talk with Tatsuya?”

Akira looks up at Tatsuya, as if asking for permission. When Tatsuya nods in encouragement, Akira scurries through the door Jun came in through, eyes drawn to the many colorful flowers that populate the shop. 

Jun whirls on Tatsuya as soon as Akira is out of range. “Why did you just bring me a literal child? Where are his parents?”

Tatsuya sighs, running his fingers through his newly-short hair out of habit. Jun misses his long hair. He’d cut it short in an effort to look more professional while trying to get hired into the police force. “He’s an orphan, Jun,” he says in a low voice. “He ran away from the home he’s staying at because the other kids bully him. The people in charge there basically threw him at me when I tried to take him back.”

Jun can see where this is going. “Tatsuya…”

“There’s something special about him, Jun, I can feel it!” And, well. Jun can’t deny that. There’s an air of magnetism around the boy, attracting him like pheromones. Jun already feels a desire to protect him. “Akira needs a good home, and I think we could give it to him!”

“If the people who run that home find out we’re together, you’ll be out of a job!” Jun hisses. They’re not hiding their relationship, per se, but they’re also not broadcasting it to the world at large. Sumaru City is still largely conservative and there are no laws protecting them. As his own boss, Jun doesn’t have as much to worry about, but Tatsuya works for the city. One wrong move and he’s done.

Tatsuya grins. “Like I said, they pretty much gave Akira to me when I tried to take him back. It won’t take much convincing to get them to waive the normal home visits and sign parental rights over to me. As long as we can prove we have the essentials, we good to go.”

Jun looks back at the child looking around his shop, wonder and amazement shining from his face. His heart clenches.

He’s pretty sure he already loves this boy.

* * *

 

Akira doesn’t get to come  home with them right away, much to the boy’s dismay. Even after a little schmoozing, his current guardians can’t let Tatsuya adopt him until they can prove their small house is suitable for a child.

They return him reluctantly, leaving him with hugs and promises of a quick reunion. Then they go to the nearest furniture store to shop for a little boy’s room.

Thankfully, their house has a second bedroom. In the past it served as a guest room for when Eikichi got too drunk to drive home during their get-togethers. “He’ll get over when he realizes he has a nephew to spoil,” Tatsuya jokes. “Besides, his drunk ass can sleep on the living room floor if he can’t fit on the couch.”

They buy a twin-sized bed, a cherry-red comforter set, some sheets, and a toy chest. Once Akira is officially theirs, they’ll take him shopping for toys and clothes and decorations. Before they head home for the night they stop by a convenience store to buy a child’s toothbrush and toothpaste, and some child-friendly shampoo. After a second of deliberation, Jun also picks up a bottle of conditioner. Akira’s frizzy hair will need it.

They spend the next few hours cleaning out the guest room and turning it into a kid’s room. Tatsuya has the receipts for everything tucked into his wallet to prove they have furniture suitable for a child. Jun is taking the day off work, as well. “One of the perks of being your own boss,” he says, cheeky, after Tatsuya spends half an hours convincing his superior to give him a personal day.

Tatsuya insists they keep Akira a surprise for their friends and family. He’s giddy, like a child himself, and Jun can’t help but smile. He hasn’t seen Tatsuya like this in a long time.

After Tatsuya finally wears himself out, Jun runs back to the shop. He finds a plastic vase and starts looking for the right combination of flowers. This, he thinks, just might be the most important arrangement he’s ever made.

* * *

 

Jun gets Akira strapped into his new car seat while Tatsuya signs all the paperwork. Akira is beaming, his smile splitting his face nearly in half. “Wait until you see your room, hon,” Jun says. “Tatsuya and I worked very hard on it last night.”

Akira looks amazed. “I get my own room? I don’t have to share?”

“You don’t have to share,” Jun confirms.

Akira looks fit to burst.

* * *

 

“Woah,” Akira breathes.

Tatsuya fidgets next to Jun in the doorway. “It’s a little sparse, but we can go shopping and you can pick out everything you want. We’ll buy you toys and games and clothes—”

He’s interrupted when akira barrels into them, wrapping an arm around each of their legs. “Thank you!”

Jun crouches first, pulling Akira into a hug, and Tatsuya follows close behind. “We’re going to love you so much,” Jun says, lips pressed into Akira’s hair. He looks up at the vase on Akira’s dresser. Daffodils, Gerbera daisies, and white heather. Joy and happiness, cheerfulness, protection, wishes will come true.

They’re not a couple anymore. With their son, they’re a family.

**Author's Note:**

> Individuation on [tumblr.](https://individuationfic.tumblr.com/)


End file.
